All About Pocket Knives

Hi everyone,

I am new to this site, so if there is something that I should have included and/or done and didn't please let me know. I choose this site because it appears there are a lot of people who know what they are talking about and are easy going when explaining things.

Now for the main attraction:

While going through my deceased grandparents attic we came across a swing guard switchblade that nobody remembers my grandfather having. Amazing what can be found in these old attics. I cannot find any kind of markings that would suggest a particular maker.

When you look at the pictures you will see that the blade is longer than the handle when closed! Odd in my book. The handle does fit my hand but barely.

It is pretty beat up but I plan on trying to sharpen it and put new pins in as some are loose and/or missing. It actually looks as though someone may have tried to replace some of the pins in the past. It does not lock closed at this time and I am not sure why. Maybe it actually is not a switchblade. There is a button that needs to be pressed to close it.

If there is any additional info needed to come to a conclusion, let me know and I will try to get the info.

Anyway, it would be greatly appreciated if someone can shed some light on the maker of this knife, what country it may have come from and the approximate date.

Thanks,
Jody

Never saw one before. Does it open automaticly when you posh the button? Appears to be pretty old and I've seen similar knives with a lever opener on them but they were much larger. Great find though.

The knife is not a switchblade. It is an expandable blade knife most likely made in India in the 1950s. This type of knife was supposedly invented by an Admiral D'Estaing in the late 1700s and they have been made in many countries.

Samb1955: At the current time it opens by itself. I need the rubber band on it because it does not stay closed. I think it is supposed to stay closed until the button is pushed but I cannot verify that. I would like to take it apart and try to repair it but it may not be in the near future. We will see.

Gunsil: Why is it called an expandable blade? Is it because the blade sticks out the back of the handle until opened?

Thanks to both of you.

Jody

It is an automatic. They have very weak coil springs.
My bet is they were made in Spain, but India is a possibility.
Unless you are very experienced at working on knives, I don't recommend trying to repair it yourself.